Massachusetts high school cancels football season after video shows hazing

A high school in Massachusetts shut down its football season after a video showing hazing among players was discovered by school administrators.

Haverhill High School, located an hour north of Boston, said the end of the football season was due to "seriousness of the misconduct."

The football team was set to play Lowell High School on Thanksgiving.

“Haverhill Public Schools is currently investigating misconduct involving some members of the high school football team. The investigation is ongoing and significant material was uncovered today which impacts the direction of the investigation and the entire school community,” the district said in a statement.

The statement also said members of the coaching staff were placed on paid administrative leave while the probe continues and the Haverhill Police Department is also investigating.

"Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment, or retaliation in any form. Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved."

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini said he was made aware of the video, while he was on vacation saying he was "disgusted" by the video, which local TV station Boston 25 reported showed three men dragging one person across the floor and pulling his clothes off. Another person stood over the victim's head and twerked while others on the video can be heard cheering.

"The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," Fiorentini said. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Massachusetts high school ends football season after hazing incident